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the relentless Gulf Stream。 Perhaps she reached New York in time； one
would like to know； but there seems no good way to find out。
That first Bermuda voyage was always a happy memory to Mark Twain。 To
Twichell he wrote that it was the 〃joyousest trip〃 he had ever made：
Not a heartache anywhere； not a twinge of conscience。 I often come
to myself out of a reverie and detect an undertone of thought that
had been thinking itself without volition of mindviz。； that if we
had only had ten days of those walks and talks instead of four。
There was but one regret： Howells had not been with them。 Clemens
denounced him for his absence：
If you had gone with us and let me pay the fifty dollars； which the
trip and the board and the various knick…knacks and mementos would
cost； I would have picked up enough droppings from your conversation
to pay me five hundred per cent。 profit in the way of the several
magazine articles which I could have written； whereas I can now
write only one or two； and am therefore largely out of pocket by
your proud ways。
Clemens would not fail to write about his trip。 He could not help doing
that； and he began 〃Some Rambling Notes of an Idle Excursion〃 as soon as
he landed in Hartford。 They were quite what the name would signify
leisurely； pleasant commentaries on a loafing； peaceful vacation。 They
are not startling in their humor or description； but are gently amusing
and summery； reflecting； bubble…like； evanescent fancies of Bermuda。
Howells； shut up in a Boston editorial office； found them delightful
enough； and very likely his Atlantic readers agreed with him。 The story
of 〃Isaac and the Prophets of Baal〃 was one that Capt。 Ned Wakeman had
told to Twichell during a voyage which the latter had made to Aspinwall
with that vigorous old seafarer； so in the 〃Rambling Notes〃 Wakeman
appears as Captain Hurricane Jones； probably a step in the evolution of
the later name of Stormfield。 The best feature of the series （there were
four papers in all） is a story of a rescue in mid…ocean； but surely the
brightest ripple of humor is the reference to Bermuda's mahogany…tree：
There was exactly one mahogany…tree on the island。 I know this to
be reliable because I saw a man who said he had counted it many a
time and could not be mistaken。 He was a man with a haze lip and a
pure heart； and everybody said he was as true as steel。 Such men
are all too few。
Clemens cared less for these papers than did Howells。 He had serious
doubts about the first two and suggested their destruction； but with
Howells's appreciation his own confidence in them returned and he let
them all go in。 They did not especially advance his reputation； but
perhaps they did it no harm。
CXII
A NEW PLAY AND A NEW TALE
He wrote a short story that year which is notable mainly for the fact
that in it the telephone becomes a literary property； probably for the
first time。 〃The Loves of Alonzo Fitz…Clarence and Rosannah Ethelton〃
employed in the consummation what was then a prospect； rather than a
realitylong…distance communication。
His work that summer consisted mainly of two extensive undertakings； one
of which he completed without delay。 He still had the dramatic ambition；
and he believed that he was capable now of constructing a play entirely
from his own resources。
To Howells； in June； he wrote：
To…day I am deep in a comedy which I began this morningprincipal
character an old detective。 I skeletoned the first act and wrote the
second to…day； and am dog…tired now。 Fifty…four pages of MS。 in seven
hours。
Seven days later； the Fourth of July； he said：
I have piled up one hundred and fifty…one pages on my comedy。 The first；
second and fourth acts are done； and done to my satisfaction； too。 To…
morrow and next day will finish the third act； and the play。 Never had
so much fun over anything in my life never such consuming interest and
delight。 And just think！ I had Sol Smith Russell in my mind's eye for
the old detective's part； and bang it！ he has gone off pottering with
Oliver Optic； or else the papers lie。
He was working with enthusiasm； you see； believing in it with a faith
which； alas； was no warrant for its quality。 Even Howells caught his
enthusiasm and became eager to see the play； and to have the story it
contained told for the Atlantic。
But in the end it proved a mistake。 Dion Boucicault； when he read the
manuscript； pronounced it better than 〃Ah Sin；〃 but that was only
qualified praise。 Actors who considered the play； anxious enough to have
Mark Twain's name on their posters and small bills； were obliged to admit
that； while it contained marvelous lines； it wouldn't 〃go。〃 John
Brougham wrote：
There is an absolute 〃embarrassment of riches〃 in your 〃Detective 〃
most assuredly； but the difficulty is to put it into profitable
form。 The quartz is there in abundance； only requiring the
necessary manipulation to extract the gold。
In narrative structure the story would be full of life； character；
and the most exuberant fun； but it is altogether too diffuse in its
present condition for dramatic representation； and I confess I do
not feel sufficient confidence in my own experience （even if I had
the time； which on reflection I find I have not） to undertake what；
under different circumstances； would be a 〃labor of love。〃
Yours sincerely； JOHN BROUGHAM。
That was frank； manly； and to the point； it covered the ground exactly。
〃Simon Wheeler； the Amateur Detective；〃 had plenty of good material in
itplenty of dialogue and situations； but the dialogue wouldn't play；
and the situations wouldn't act。 Clemens realized that perhaps the drama
was not； after all； his forte； he dropped 〃Simon Wheeler；〃 lost his
interest in 〃Ah Sin；〃 even leased 〃Colonel Sellers〃 for the coming
season； and so； in a sort of fury； put theatrical matters out of his
mind。
He had entered upon what； for him； was a truer domain。 One day he picked
up from among the books at the farm a little juvenile volume； an English
story of the thirteenth century by Charlotte M。 Yonge； entitled； The
Prince and the Page。 It was a story of Edward I。 and his cousins；
Richard and Henry de Montfort； in part it told of the submerged
personality of the latter； picturing him as having dwelt in disguise as
a blind beggar for a period of years。 It was a story of a sort and with
a setting that Mark Twain loved； and as he read there came a correlative
idea。 Not only would he disguise a prince as a beggar； but a beggar as
a prince。 He would have them change places in the world； and each learn
the burdens of the other's life。 ＇There is no point of resemblance
between the Prince and the Pauper and the tale that inspired it。 No one
would ever guess that the one had grown out of the readings of the other；
and no comparison of any sort is possible between them。＇
The plot presented physical difficulties。 He still had some lurking
thought of stage performance； and saw in his mind a spec